The fourth-generation (4G) wireless networks represent the next wave of mobile multimedia networks currently in development and the 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile networks are becoming a reality. Among others, the backhaul point-to-point microwave radios is a key part of this whole 4G network and plays an important role to the network success.
Point-to-Point Microwave Radios have a very wide range of frequency bands, typical licensed bands include 6 GHz, 7 GHz, 8 GHz, 10 GHz, 11 GHz, 13 GHz, 15 GHz, 18 GHz, 23 GHz, 26 GHz, 28 GHz, 32 GHz, 38 GHz and 42 GHz, plus unlicensed bands at sub 6 GHz, 60 GHz and the latest light license band of E-band (71-86 GHz). The covered modulations include QPSK, 16 QAM, 32 QAM, 64 QAM, 128 QAM, 256 QAM and extends to latest 512 QAM and 1024 QAM, and future even higher modulation such as 2048 QAM and 4096 QAM. The covered bandwidth includes popular international bandwidth of 3.5 MHz/7 MHz/14 MHz/28 MHz/56 MHz and North America's FCC bands of 5 MHz/10 MHz/20 MHz/30 MHz/40 MHz/50 MHz and coming new 112 MHz, 250 MHz and 500 MHz channel bandwidths.
In order to support these different radio configurations, frequency bands, modulations, capacity offerings, it is becoming more and more important to develop a point-to-point microwave radio with common mechanics, common interface to antenna, common software, and common automatic test equipment (ATE) for achieving such goals as low cost of deployment and maintenance and short time to market, etc. Moreover, both the operators and equipment vendors/manufacturers also prefer that their microwave equipment complies with a flexible unified architecture that supports various platforms, which is scalable, interchangeable, and shares common elements for all capacities and frequency bands.